Improvement in car-springs



2 S.heets-Sheet 1.

C. D. GIBSON. GAR SPRING.

N0. 39,769. I Patented Sept. 1, 1863 Fig. 1.

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C. D. GIBSON. GAR SPRING.

No. 39,769. Patented Sept. 1, 1863.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. GIBSON, oF NEW YORK, N. Y., AssiGNoR To oHAs. s. s. LENoX.

IMPROVEMENT. IN CAR-SPRINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,769, dated September l, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. GiBsoN, ofl the city. county, and State ot New York. have invented certain new and usefulImproveinents in Railroad-Car Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings, wliichform a part of this specification,I and ot' which- Figiire i is aside elevation of .my improved,

rectiliueal spring; Fig. 2, a longitudinal central section ot' the saine Fig. 3, atransverse section in theline a: ofv Fig. 1; Fig. ,4, an elevation otl my improved elliptical form of spring; and Fig. 5. a longitudinal section of the spring, illustrated by Fig. 4.

Siinilarlctters indicate like parts ineach f of the drawings;

The nature of my improvemenaconsists in the combination of an elastic cushion or packing with the ends of metallic plate-'springs to facilitate and perfect their regular and easy action.

My improved spi-ings are composed of one or more leaves or plates, A A', of elastic metal, which may be either straight, as in the ofthe caps are equal 4to the width of the springplates A A', 'which are combined therewith by means of' pivot-pins s s, secured in said ears a a., and which pass through terminalloops formed at the ends ot' the plates A A', as is clearly shown iii Fig. 2 ot' the accompanying drawings. Stops o o project outwardly lietween the ears a a, which, in connection with the looped ends ot' the spring-plates, prevent the caps from swinging outwardly, as is fully illustrated in the sectional Fig. 2. The outer faces of the caps B B are beveled from these stops inwardly toward the center of the spring, to .allow them free play upon theirpivoted bearings s sin that direction. The inner or opposite surfaces of the cnpsB B are recessed (see Fig. 3) to receive and hold the heads of springs C C ot' solid rubber or other suitable material.

When two or more elastic plates are combined iii the construction of my improved springs. they may be secured centrally by einbracing-bands D D, Figs. 1 and 4..

In the 'construction ot' the rectilineal forni of spring, Figs. 1 and'2, I secure guiding-pins kik upon either side of these embracing bands D -D in a plane which" is coincident with the centerof the spi'iugplates. These pins lo k are received into slits formed inthe ears of a bearing-plate, E, which embrace the bands D D, and inclose also Van auxiliary bearingspriiig, F, of india-rubber, or' its equivalent, as illustrated in Fig. 2. By thus pivoting or V,hinging the central bearings of the spring upon pivot-pins lr 7c, or in a manner eqiiivalent thereto,an oscillatioiiot' the spring is obtained by which all cross-'strain thereon is avoided.

This device is peculiarly advantageous in rectilineal springs, as herein indicated, but may also be applied to elliptic springs.

The upper bearingplate of my improved spring is attached `to the underside of the truck-frame, while the lower bearing-.plate is secured to the journalbox 'H of the car-axle within the pedestal G, as shown iii the drawings. .The play ofthe iiiclosed bearing-spring F is limited and its elasticity protected by tlie length'of the slits guiding the pins k k. The

-rectilineal spring thus formed and hinged and packed, both in its central bearings and end fastenings, has a free, accommodating, elastic motion and play, which adds greatly to its efficiency and durability. A

It will be observed also that by pivoting the end caps, which :secure the packing spi-ings D YD, the latter are always retained in a vertical and active position. I contemplate in this connection 'packing the metallic plates ot my improved spring with felt, or its equivalent, to protectaiid preserve their temper and elasticity, and where greater strength is desired in the rectilineal spring an additional auxiliary spring may be interposed centrally between the springplates A' A'. In interposing an elastic packing between the ends of the elastic leaves or plates cfa spring, as described, I design to use the same either with or without end caps, B B, as the packing may be placed directly between pla-tes secured in the ordinary manner.

Having thus fully described my improve-- ments in railroad-cnr springs, what l claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Combining anysuitable elastic packing or auxiliary springs U C Iwith the ends of rectilineal or curved metallic springs A A, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. Combining'l the retaining-caps B B with the ends of metallic springplates by means of hinged or pivoled joints, substantially in the manner` and for the purpose herein described.

3. livotingg,` or hin ging the central bearings of metallic plate springs substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The use and combination of an auxiliary bearing-spring, F, of india-rubber, or its equivalent, with a metallicplate spring, when 4arranged substantial] y in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.V

The foregoingspecification of my improved rectilineal spring signed by me this 29th day of June, A. D. 1863.

CHARLES D. GIBSON. In presence'of- J oHN' B. SPAULDING, RICH. VOTE. 

